S/O of the S/O --> Do you know anyone IRL who didn't know they were pregnant?

[Fairy]

I'm talkin' like those DHC shows, "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant!" Not like they didn't know for four months, or they were in denial. I mean they DID. NOT. KNOW. until they were in very much the eleventh hour. I will admit that I am not one who buys the "my cycle is irregular so I never know" argument. Fine, you didn't know for a few months. But by the 2nd trimester, assuming you know how babies are made, let's be for real, here.

That said, I know one.

My mother worked with this woman for years and years. Tall, like 6', and not heavy, but very big boned, large stature. I remember asking her, "is she overweight?!" And my mom insisted she was not technically a heavy person, she was just very tall with very athletic build and very big bones and carried herself large, but not one for belly fat or "fat." She was 46 I belileve, tho I may be off on the age. Late 40's, tho. One day she thought she had indigestion, her stomach was killing her, felt like she was possibly constipated. Her husband said get in the tub and have a bath, you'll feel better. Next thing she knows, in the water, she feels a sharp pain and out comes this baby. She screams bloody murder, her husband runs in, knows exactly what has just happened, but she's in shock like what the f*ck is THAT in tehre?! I'm dreaming, wake me up! Baby is born in the water, not breathing, apparently, he does mouth to mouth, calls 911, mom, baby, cord all loaded onto stretcher, 25 years later, that little girl graudated from an Ivy League school.

She thought the absence of her period was menopause.

My mother insists -- INSISTS -- she never got a baby bump. She said looking back, maybe she gained ten lbs, but never ever ever did that woman look like she could possibly be carrying a baby.

She'd never been pregnant before, so she didn't knwo what all that moving around in there was and figured she'd been gassy lately.

I swear on a stack of holy Star Trek scripts, this is a true story.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I just can't buy it. My friends and I were talking about this show tonight, in fact. For goodness sake, my dh could see the baby move across my belly from across the room in the 3rd trimester. If someone could see that, how could you not feel it or notice that there is something moving around in there??? Fine, you think it's gas but you can *see* a baby in there in a lot of positions, at least ime.

Beth

[Tondi G]

WOW... I don't know anyone IRL that didn't know they were pregnant/in labor. I watched that show the other night... so crazy!

I know someone who found out quite late... like 4.5 almost 5 months along... she didn't have morning sickness, just felt fatigued but was busy with 2 children. I guess her cycles were irregular and she didn't put it together until she was already in her 2nd trimester.

[sunnyside]

I don't buy it either. I thought it was possible before I got pregnant I guess. I mean, I could make up how someone maybe could have extenuating circumstances. But now that I'm this pregnant and at my due date, I just cannot believe that anyone could not notice uhm, a 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 pound baby in their belly!!!!!

[tiapam]

Yes, a relative's coworker did not know until she went to the ER in pain, had an ultrasound, was told she was pregnant and then delivered the baby right away. I'm not sure how far along she was estimated to be, but the baby was coming and AFAIK she/he is fine. Apparently, she had been to the doc with various complaints but never was diagnosed as pregnant. Nobody had done an ultrasound until she went to the ER. I'm not sure if she had negative pregnancy tests. She called work and said, um, I'm not coming in because I had a baby. She was not very old, I would say 20s or 30s. I think it was her first, and I think she had another one later. But she knew about that one!

[tiapam]

I don't buy it either. I thought it was possible before I got pregnant I guess. I mean, I could make up how someone maybe could have extenuating circumstances. But now that I'm this pregnant and at my due date, I just cannot believe that anyone could not notice uhm, a 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 pound baby in their belly!!!!!

Well, when this happens, the mother is often not taking prenatals or any precautions with activity, etc. So the babies might be on the small side and I would guess often come before full term. And some women carry differently. A friend of mine did not look very pregnant even at 7 months. Her baby was laying across her belly practically the whole time.

[Dream]

I just can't buy it. My friends and I were talking about this show tonight, in fact. For goodness sake, my dh could see the baby move across my belly from across the room in the 3rd trimester. If someone could see that, how could you not feel it or notice that there is something moving around in there??? Fine, you think it's gas but you can *see* a baby in there in a lot of positions, at least ime.

Beth

I must say, I never saw DD's movements. I didn't have a big stomach, I was able to feel slight movements but not much. She wasn't big, just 5.4lb so maybe that could be a reason. I don't think everyone's able to see the movements.

[sarahsthreads]

Not quite IRL - more like a family legend because I never met this particular great-grandmother, she died before I was born. I've been told this is an absolutely true story. (Besides, where else would a nickname like this come from?!?)

My grandfather's youngest brother was apparently a complete surprise. To this day his nickname among his siblings is "the tumor" because my great-grandmother (who at this point had had more than a dozen children - not quite sure how many because not all survived infancy) thought she was going through menopause but then went to the hospital complaining of severe stomach pain. They supposedly told her that she had a stomach tumor...well, apparently some doctor didn't know what he was talking about, because Uncle Charlie was born that night.

Now, honestly this was in the days before ultrasounds and such. But she'd had so many babies before this last one, how could she not know?!?

I mean, in utero hiccups. How can you not notice those? If I thought my digestive system was spasmodically jerking every few seconds, I think I'd be concerned enough about that to call my doctor...? And those big rolling movements? Anyone who can pass those off as gas is clearly in denial!

Sarah

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

The massage therapist I had tonight, actually!

[sariana]

I must say, I never saw DD's movements. I didn't have a big stomach, I was able to feel slight movements but not much. She wasn't big, just 5.4lb so maybe that could be a reason. I don't think everyone's able to see the movements.

My DS was born early, at 32 weeks, and was only 4 lbs. 9 oz. He was lying crosswise, and I felt kicks only in my lower left abdomen, never anywhere else. Had I not known I was pregnant, I might have dismissed them as some weird digestive thing (and I do get weird digestive things). My DC both had in utero hiccups, which are pretty obvious, but not all babies do.

That being said, I don't think it happens often enough for the people on that show all to be telling the truth. I never have seen it, but I suspect some of them are lying to get their fifteen minutes.